Inyx Announces Strategic U.K. Acquisition of Celltech Manufacturing Services Limited From UCB
26 August 2005 - 11:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Acquisition Expected to Make Material Contribution to Inyx's
Revenues & Earnings During First 12 months NEW YORK, Aug. 26
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Inyx, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: IYXI), a
specialty pharmaceutical company with a focus on niche drug
delivery technologies and products, announced today that it and
UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Brussels,
Belgium, have signed a definitive agreement whereby Inyx will
acquire from UCB all the outstanding shares of Celltech
Manufacturing Services Limited (CMSL), a UCB subsidiary based in
Ashton, England. The purchase price is 27.5 million Euros and will
be financed through a non-dilutive, asset-based funding facility
provided by Westernbank Business Credit Division of Westernbank
Puerto Rico. The acquisition is set to close on August 31, 2005.
Jack Kachkar, M.D., Chairman and CEO of Inyx, said, "This strategic
acquisition will make a material contribution to Inyx's revenue
base and profitability immediately and going forward. Moreover,
CMSL greatly enhances Inyx's operations and capabilities in Europe,
augmenting our existing base in the U.K., and complements our
recently established operating base in the United States." "CMSL
provides Inyx with both a base of new customers and new development
and production capabilities, which include expertise in dry powder
inhalers that complements Inyx's expertise in metered dose inhalers
and aerosol sprays, giving Inyx a comprehensive inhalation-therapy
platform," noted Dr. Kachkar. As a result of the complementary
benefits of the acquisition, CMSL is expected to contribute
annualized revenues in excess of $50 million with high profit
margins to Inyx over the first 12 months, which are expected to
build in the future. CMSL has over 50 years of experience in
pharmaceutical development and manufacturing, and today produces a
portfolio of branded and non-branded products for UCB and a number
of third parties. CMSL operates a 152,000- square foot cGMP
(current Good Manufacturing Practice) plant on a 7.3-acre site in
Ashton, near Manchester, and also close to Inyx Pharma Limited's
U.K. plant in Runcorn, Cheshire. The CMSL facility is approved to
produce pharmaceuticals -- including solid dose, sterile and dry
powder inhaler products -- for the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia.
CMSL currently has approximately 300 employees at the Ashton site.
As part of Inyx's acquisition of CMSL, Inyx is receiving a
five-year manufacturing contract from the UCB Group as well as a
long-term product support and services contract. Inyx is also
acquiring three Celltech product licenses as part of the
transaction; two products are indicated for the treatment of
thyroid disorders and one for gout. Immediately after the
acquisition is completed, Inyx will change CMSL's name to Ashton
Pharmaceuticals Limited, which will operate under Inyx Europe Ltd.,
a newly formed, wholly owned subsidiary that will also include Inyx
Pharma Limited. "The CMSL acquisition represents the second
transforming event for Inyx in the past several months," pointed
out Dr. Kachkar. On March 31, 2005, Inyx acquired certain assets
and business of Aventis Pharmaceuticals Puerto Rico Inc. from
sanofi-aventis Group (NYSE:SNY). That acquisition was also financed
through a non-dilutive, asset-based funding facility provided by
Westernbank Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico's second largest bank and a
wholly owned subsidiary of W Holding Company, Inc. (NYSE:WHI).
About Inyx Inyx, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company with
aerosol drug delivery technologies and products for the treatment
of respiratory, allergy, dermatological, topical and cardiovascular
conditions. Inyx focuses its expertise on both prescription and
over-the-counter pharmaceutical products, and provides specialty
pharmaceutical development and production consulting services to
the international healthcare market. In addition, Inyx is
developing its own proprietary products to be marketed by selected
clients and strategic partners, which include some of the largest
pharmaceutical companies. The company's operations are conducted
through several wholly owned subsidiaries, including: Inyx USA,
Ltd., which operates development and production facilities totaling
140,000 square feet on a 9.5-acre site in Manati, Puerto Rico; Inyx
Pharma Limited, with a 60,000-square foot production center and
30,000-square foot R&D and administrative facilities near
Manchester, England; and Inyx Canada, Inc. based in Toronto,
provides business development and support services. Inyx, Inc.'s
corporate offices are in New York City. Inyx presently has a total
of approximately 255 employees. For more information, please visit:
http://www.inyxinc.com/. Safe Harbor Statements about the Company's
future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and
all other statements in this press release other than historical
facts, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and as that term is defined in the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company
intends that such forward-looking statements be subject to the safe
harbors created thereby. Since these statements involve risks and
uncertainties and are subject to change at any time, the Company's
actual results could differ materially from expected results. For
more information, please contact: Jay M. Green, Executive Vice
President Inyx, Inc. DATASOURCE: Inyx, Inc. CONTACT: Jay M. Green,
Executive Vice President of Inyx, Inc., Web site:
http://www.inyxinc.com/
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